Jack and Marion Blanco Endow Scholarship with Current and Future Gifts

While Jack was serving as a pastor in California and Marion as office secretary, he received several calls to teach religion—which included an invitation from Southern Adventist University. As they considered their opportunities, they felt a certain connection to the university since their son Steve graduated from Southern, not to mention that Collegedale was especially attractive since Steve was in the Nashville area to practice medicine. The rest is history. 

After prayer and providential leading, Jack accepted the call from Southern and served for 18 years before retiring as dean in the School of Religion in 2000. He continued to teach as needed for another ten years, serving as professor emeritus.

Jack and Marion continue to live in Collegedale and are doing all they can to support the university and Christian education. They say, “We appreciate Southern’s emphasis on spirituality and upholding what Seventh-day Adventist believe.” As part of that appreciation, they have established the Jack and Marion Blanco Endowment Fund to provide scholarships for need-based theology students as well as to ensure that their young children receive an Adventist education.

In addition to their current giving, Jack and Marion faithfully support the Lord’s work through various tax-smart planned giving opportunities such as IRA gifts. They have also planned future gifts that will benefit their endowment and increase the impact of their vision to help students until the Lord comes. 

“Our philosophy,” Jack says, “is to bloom where we are planted, and we want our estate to bloom for the Lord at Southern.”